Constandino excels in both sport and academics

The Saheti grade five learner is part of the Eastern Local Football Association’s U/11 District Team which will play at the Germiston Sports Grounds in the first weekend of October. The same team will also go on tour to Durban the following weekend.

He has also been selected to join the Johannesburg East Primary School Cricket Association’s U/11 team which will play at the U/11 Gauteng Area Cricket Festival. This festival is hosted by the Johannesburg North West Area at Trinity House and St Stithian’s, from September 21 to 24.

Constandino is also the number one goalkeeper for the Mpumalanga Black Aces Football Club Academy’s U/11 team.

He recently won the Saheti School Junior Boys Singles and Double Tennis Championships for 2013.

Not only is Constandino good at sport, he also recently received a Certificate of High Distinction for being within the top two percent to five percent of learners within South Africa for the International Benchmark Test in mathematics.

As young as he is, Constandino said he has learnt that balance is the key in life.

“In anything I do, I dedicate myself 100 percent to it. When I am not playing any sport, I make sure I do as much school work as possible. When I am playing, I focus on what I am doing,” he said.

He added that the support from his family is the source of his achievements.

Constandino’s mother died when he was three, and his sister, Eleni, helps him with his school work and tennis. His brother, George, taught him most of the sport he is playing, including rugby and cricket. Constandino said his father, Andreas, is the one who helps him the most with soccer.

“I am not sure how, but I will follow a career in sport. Maybe as a player, coach or as an administrator. I love sport. It is easy and better to get paid to do what you like most,” he said.

He added that sport has taught him different skills in life.

“Soccer taught me people skills. It allows you to meet and mingle with lots of people. You learn to deal with different personalities and cultures. Most of all, it teaches you sportsmanship. Irrespective of hard tackles during the game, after the match you have to shake hands and be friends again. Though it is nice to be on the winning team, soccer teaches one to understand that game days are not always the same. Sometimes you win and sometimes you don’t,” said Constandino.

He said cricket has taught him to be patient and tennis has taught him to never give up.

“Tennis is more of an individual sport. It needs a fighting spirit. You have to believe in yourself and fight until the end of the match,” he said.